Container



Sept. 10, 1940. G. A. MQQRE CGNTAINER Filed July l5. 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. uugx @iugm Warme ATTORNEY G. AQ'MooRE v CONTAINER Filed July 1s, 1957- '4 sheets-sheet 2 mm.; M ATTORNEY sept. 1o, 1940. G A. Muon; v '?,214,172

CQNTAINER n Filed July 15,v 1 '.=57- l l 4 -sheeJ-srfeet s INVENTOR .5MM .1 TroRNEY Sept. 10, 1940. A. MQoR.

CQNTAINER Filed Ju'ly l5, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENToR.

, ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1940 -coN'rAlNEn George Arlington Moore, Louisville, Ky., assigner to Humoco Corporation, Louisville, Ky., a corporation of Delaware Application July 15, 1937, Serial No, 153,705

12 Claims.

This invention relates to receptacles and more particularly to containers adapted to be fabricated from ilbrous and other ilexible or foldable materials.'

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel container or package, wherein goods may be retained for an indenite period of time under varied conditions of temperature, pressure and humidity without any material change in the condition of the goodsv themiselvesy and particularly without any such change in the moisture content of said goods.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novelly constructed container comprising brous and metallic materials and having a metal-tometal closure seam' at one or both ends thereof.

Still another Yobject is to provide a self-sustaining container comprising light-weight fibrous materials. A

A further object is to provide a novel container which may be readily and inexpensively manufactured from. a single blank of foldable material, such as paper, metallic foil, cellulose acetate and/or cellulose acetate sheets, vinylite resins in the form of rolled sheets, pliolite, and combinations of the like.

A still further object is to provide a novel container adapted to be made from a blank comprising brous material, the ends of which container are so formed that no raw edges of said brous material are exposed to the atmosphere when the end closure seams are completed.

Another object is to provide a novel, lightweight container comprising brous materials and having an internal supporting structure combined therewith in a novel manner.

Another object is to provide a novel hermetically sealed container comprising brous materials which may be readily opened without tearing or damaging the material from which the container is made and which may be opened and closed for intermittent use of the contents after the hermetic seal has been broken.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description, when the same is taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended as a denition of the limits of the invention, reference for this latter purpose being had primarily to the appended claims.

1n the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, l

Fig. 1'is a development of the inner surface of a laminated blank which may be employed in making one form of` container comprehended by the present invention, a'portion of the inner lamination of said vblank being turned back;

Fig. 2 is an end viewy of said blank after completion of the initial folding step;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view `oi? a. tubular container body formed from said blank;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the closure seam at the upper end or top of said body;

Fig. `5- is a similar view illustrating how the tabs of said closure seam may be folded at against the walls of the container;

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the body of Fig. 5 in upside-down position with the contents and secondary bottom closure member therein;

Fig. 7 shows the container after the formation of the bottom closure seam;

Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the completed container illustrating how the tabs of the bottom closure seam may be folded at against the container wall;

Fig. 9 is a similar upright view of the completed container with a tape or stamp applied to the top thereof;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the bottom.' portion of the container in iilled condition ready for sealing; Y

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the completed end closure seam;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10 illustrating the top portion of a second embodiment oi the invention;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail view showing the end closure seam on the container of Fig. l2;

Figs. 14 and 15 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention, the views corresponding to Figs. 12 and 13, respectively;

Figs. 16 and 17 are isometric views illustrating how the container of the present invention may be readily opened; and,

Fig. 18 is an isometric top/view of the opened container, with parts thereof broken away.

Only a limited number of embodiments and modifications of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings, the same being shown, by way of example, in the form of a self-sustaining container suitable for use in packaging tobacco and various other products or commodities of a similar nature. In the forms illustrated, the container is made from a laminated blank comprising a layer of brous material and a layer of non-hygroscoplc material such as metallic foil folded and sealed in a novel manner either in combination with or without a-strengthening liner, the latter being employed primarily in the larger size containers.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to l1, inclusive, is a light weight, durable container which is inexpensive to manufacture, easily packed and sealed in a substantially impervious manner, and adapted to be readily opened without damaging the material from which the container is fabricated. Said container is self-sustainingv in-that it is preferably so constructed and sealed that it will normally retain its shape without reliance upon the support of the contents therein. Preferably, the body of the container is made from a single rectangular blank 20 (Fig. 1)- which may be laminated from one or more layers of paper 2| and one or more layers of non-hygroscopic sheet material, such as metallic foil sheet 22. In con' tainers embodying the present invention which have been found to have excellent and desirable qualities for the packaging and distribution of commodities, and particularly those which are hygroscopie, such as tobacco, tea and the like, fibrous layers 2| are constituted, for example, by a paper weighing approximately eighty pounds per ream (24" by 36") and layers 22 are constituted by aluminum foil or Reynolds Bristol metal having a thickness of approximately .0005". Laminations 2| and 22 may be secured together throughout the entire area of their engaging surfaces by means of a suitable adhesive.

An elastic adhesive, such as latex, for example, or one having a like degree of flexibility which will not crack or flake when the blank is folded is preferred for this latter purpose in order to insure that the laminations will be retained in intimate contact when the blank is folded into container form. For purposes to more fully appear hereafter and in order to provide a foundation on the foil layer 22 for printed matter, the outer face of said layer is coated with a thin dry film of cellulose acetate lacquer indicated by shadings (Figs. 2 to 10, inclusive), having adhesive properties suchas Reynolds Metals Company lacquer No. TC-3 which forms a bindingmedium for a metal-to-metal seam. The marginal portions along three edges of the inner face of blank 20, i. e., on the exposed face of layer 2|, are yalso coated with a thin dry film 23, 23 ofa suitable adhesive, or a thermoplastic lacquer having adhesive properties, such as DuPont nitro-cellulose lacquer No. 543 or No. 606. The lacques referred to above may be-readily applied to the respective surfaces in the form of a thin dry film and are adapted to be activated'either by heat or a solvent or both, but are rendered tacky by heat alone only at temperatures well in excess of the highest atmospheric temperature to which the container is apt to be subjected. It may be desirable, when packaging certain commodities, to provide the entire inner surface of blank 20 with a thin dry coating of a suitable moisturerepellent lacquer or similar substance.`

It will be noted that, in a large number of the small scale figures in the drawings, the laminated structure of blankv 20 is, in the interest of clarity, illustrated as comprising a single thickness, the thickness of the'paper andthe foil being compar.. atively small in relation to the overall dimensions of the container. It will be understood, ofcourse, that the blank may, if desired, be constituted by a single thicknessof suitable-sheet material in lieu of thelaminated structure heretofore described. f

To form blank 20 into an impervious container or package which may be readily opened without damage, the margins at opposed edges of said blank are first folded inwardly, as shown in' Fig. 2, to provide foil-faced, reinforcing hems 24, 24 which will extend about the periphery of each end of the subsequently formed container body, said hems serving, among other things to be hereinafter pointed out, to reinforce the margins at the open ends of the container body. The engaging surfaces of said hems are coated with lacquer film 23 and may be secured together thereby either at this stage of the construction or at a later stage, as will subsequently appear.

Blank 20, with infolded hems 24, is then folded to form a tubular body 25 (Fig. 3) having a substantially rectangular cross-section, the overlapping ends of the blank being adhesively heatsealed together at joint 26 by lacquer film 23' and the thermoplastic lacquer film on the overlapping surfaces of hems 24. In making body 25, the blank is preferably wrapped around a mandrel or form having the desired size and shape and joint 26 sealed by application of hot irons to the outer surfaces thereof. A s shown, joint 26 is adjacent one corner of the body to enhance the appearance of the container, but may be formed at any desired point about the periphery thereof.

Another advantage in forming said joint adjacent the corner of the body is that the printed material at the center of the side wall cannot be marred by the sealing iron.

While body 25 is still on the forming mandrel and interiorly supported thereby, one end, preferably the top of said body, is sealed in a novel manner to provide a metal-to-metal seam which is adapted to prevent the passage of moisture either from or into the container and the' contents thereof, said seam being also formed so as to bury the raw edges of the paper layer 2| and, hence, obviate any wicking of moisture by the paper between the contents of the container and the atmosphere. The end wall of the container and the novel closure seam are formed, in the illustrated embodiment, by folding and sealing, preferably by the application of heat, a marginal portion at the end of body 25, said portion including hem 24 and a peripheral area or band defined by construction lines A and B in Fig. 1. The lines along which said marginal portion is folded are indicated by lines A to D, inclusive, and, if.desired, the blank may be scored along said linesto facilitate the folding operations.

`In forming therst end closure, body 25 is moved on the form-ing mandrel until line A is flush with the end thereof. By means of suitable converging tools engaging side Walls 21, 21, the

portions A-B of said walls are folded inwardly through to form a two-part end wall 2 8, 28. Simultaneously, hem 24 and the portions A-B `of side walls 29, 29 are folded along lines C and -between the inturned portion 'of hem 24 andthe side wall surfaces engaged thereby. A suitable temperature has been found to be approximately 450 F. where rapid operation is desired. The pressure, such as twenty-five pounds per square inch, for example, exerted by the folding and sealing tools is effective to press the heat or solvent activated lacquer into the interstlces of the engaging surfaces and substantially weld the same together in an impervious manner at 30 and 3|, as shown in Fig. 11, the latter illustrating the closure seam at the bottom of the container which may be identical with the closure seam at the top thereof. It will be noted that the raw edges 32 of the paper component of blank 20 are imperviously sealed within the container, as best seen in Fig. 11.

It is pointed out that the pressures and temperatures employed in making the seams referred to will vary in accordance with the time interval used in forming said seams. As the time interval is decreased, for example, the temperature and the pressure, o`r the temperature only, should be increased. Time, pressure and temperature thus have a direct relation on providing the heat units desired in forming the seams.

Preferably, the operating faces of the sealing or folding tools are provided with one or more -sets of cooperatingribs and .grooves which are effective to emboss hem 24 along one or more lines extending the entire length of the latter, as shown at 33. Embossing the end closure seam in this manner while the sealing substance is in an activated condition affords double assurance that said seam is impervious to both air and moisture, since the optimum pressure is concentrated over a relatively small area about theperiphery of the seam.

The engaging metal surfaces of hem 24 may be sealed together throughout the width thereof, considering the width as extending longitudinally of the container from line B to the edge of'said hem, but heat is preferably applied and a seal formed only along the inner portion thereof, i. e., that portion of the hem adjacent end walls 28, 28. The engaging surfaces of the outer portion of said'hem, either wholly or partially across the mouth of the container, is left unsealed, and constitutes tab means whereby the sealed surfaces may be readily pulled apart to open the container without the aid of tools for dispensing the contents thereof. The surfaces of the metal-to-metal seam 30 may be readily separated in this manner without tearing or defacing the container.

After the end of the container is thus sealed, hem 24- is folded flat against end wall 28 and the overhanging end thereof, together with triangular tabs 28a, are folded flat against the side walls 23 in the manner shown inrFig. 5. Heat and pressure may be applied to the tips of tabs 28a to activate the lacquer lm thereon and, hence, tack the same in placeagainst walls 29. The upper end of the container is thus rendered sufficiently strong and rigid to maintain its flat rectangular shape under all normal pressures to which it may be subjected.

One end of the container having been sealed in the foregoing manner, body 25 is removed from the forming mandrel and is preferably placed in a hollow rigid form or container (not shown) while being filled and packed with tobacco 34 (Fig. 10) or other desired contents.

For the purpose of providing a self-sustaining bottom in the container and means for maintaining the shape of the container during the contact with contents 34.

formation of the bottom closure seam, a relatively rigid secondary closure 35 of newsboard or like material is inserted in the container in Closure member 35 prevents the clinging of contents 34 to the packing plunger (not shown), serves as an interior support during the folding operation, and lends rigidity to the bottom of the container. After the container is filled and closure 35 has been placed therein, the marginal portion of the container body, including hem 24, is folded and sealed to form an impervious end closure in the same manner as above described. As the opposed halves of the inner face of hem 24 are moved into engagement, the raw edges 32 of said hem move in substantially the paths indicated by the construction lines marked with arrows in Fig. 10. Preferably, the tabs 28a at the bottom of the container are folded inwardly against end walls 28 rather than against side wallsf29, as above described in connection with the upper end of the container. If the above-described container is employed for the distribution and sale of tobacco, for example, a revenue stamp 36 may be adhesively secured across the top thereof, as shown in Fig. 9. Said stamp may, if desired, be relied upon to hold tabs 28a and hem 24 in folded position, i. e., flat against the walls of the container.

When it is desired to use contents 34, the container may be readily and cleanly opened in the manner illustrated in Figs. 16 to 18. Stamp 36 is first torn and tabs 28a are lifted into a plane with end walls 28. Hem 24 is then raised to a Vertical position (Fig. 16) and the unsealed portion thereof is grasped by the fingers and thumbs, as illustrated in Fig. 17, and pulled apart. The metal-to-metal seal or seam 30 is thus readily broken without tearing the material of hem 24. When a desired quantity of contents 34 has been used or emptied from the container, the same may be closed by folding without sealing the marginal portion thereof along the established fold lines (Fig. 18), or the marginal portion may be rolled, thus decreasing the size of the container as the contents are consumed.

which the container is made is suiciently rigid to tend to hold the parts in folded position,

It will be understood that, in the interest of clarity, a much larger scale is employed in the drawings for showing the thickness of blank 20 and the components thereof then is employed in showing the size of the container. The container may be and preferably is made of very light materials, as will be,evidenced from the weight and thickness dimensions heretofore suggested. Although the foil lends sufficiently rigidity to small containers to render the same self-sustaining under normal conditions, it is desirable in making containers of a larger size to vemploy a supporting liner. One embodiment of this latter type of container is illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13, wherein the liner and container are combined in a novel manner so as to provide a receptacle which is lined with a nonhygroscopic material, such as metallic foil. In the form shown, a laminated liner comprising an outer layer 31 of paper and an inner layer 38 of metallic foil and having a length somewhat less than body 25 is employed. The inturned portion 24a of hem 24 overlaps the ends of liner 31, 38 and buries the raw edge thereof. When the closure seam is completed in the manner ,The metallic component 22 of the material from heretofore described, adhesive seals are formed Cil at 3Ia and 3Ib in addition to the primary seal at 30.

A third embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15 as comprising a heavy liner 39 having a length equal to the distance between end walls 28, 28. Said liner gives both lateral and longitudinal rigidity to the container and constitutes an interior support which assists in the folding of the end enclosures. As shown in Fig. 15, the end closure seam may be sealed throughout the width of hem 24 and embossed along more than loss or contamination of the contents when intermittent use of the latter is desired. 'Ihe container is light of weight and sufficiently flexible to render the same convenient and comfortable to carry in the users pocket yet durable and highly efficient in preventing a transfer of moisture between the contents and atmosphere. The saving in weight which results from the use of the novel container of the present invention over the conventional packages it has replaced resuits in material economies to the manufacturer.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be -expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto. Various changes may be made, for example, in the particular materials and adhesives specified above Without departing from the Spirit and scope of the invention, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. For a definition of the limits of the invention, reference is had primarily to the appended claims.`

What is claimed is:

1.` A container constituted by a body having a wall comprising a layer of fibrous material and an outer layer of foil, the marginal portion of an end of said body being infolded to form a foil-lined, reinforcing hem `and Opposed halves of the inner surface of said hem being pressed into engagement with each other and joined' together by a thermoplastic adhesive interposed ltherebetween to form a metal-to-metal closure seam.

2. A container constituted by a tubular body of substantially rectangular cross-section, said body having an infolded hem about the periphery of one end thereof, a peripheral band .portion of said body adjacent said hem being infolded. to forman end wall perpendicular to the side Walls of said body and a pair of triangular tabs projecting beyond opposed sides of saidl i 4. A container or wrapperconstituted by a body of substantially rectangular cross-section formed from fibrous and metallic laminations with the metallic lamination outermost, a marginal portion at one end of said body being infolded to form a hem, the inner surface of said hem being of metallic material and opposed halves of said inner surface being sealed together by a thermoplastic adhesive to form a substantially impervious closure seam. 1

5. A self-sustaining container made from a rectangular blank comprising brous materials, said blank having an intumed hem along opposed edges thereof and having the other edges thereof overlapped and sealed to form a tubular body of substantially rectangular cross section, portions of two opposed side walls of said body being folded at right-angles to form an end wall and opposed halves of the hem adjacent.v said end wall being sealed together with an adhesive to form a tab of greater length than the parallel dimension of the body to thereby seal one end of the latter, said tab being folded down against the walls of the container.

6. A container formed from a laminated blank 25* of foil and fibrous materials, said blank being folded to form a tubular body of `rectangular cross-section having a foil layer outermost, the marginal portion of said body at one end thereof being folded inwardly to form a multi-ply hem about the periphery of the mouth of said body, portions of opposed sides of said body being folded at right-angles to form an end wall and the opposed halves of the inner face of said hem being adhesively joined to seal the end of said body.

7. A container constituted by a rectangular blank, said blank .being folded to form an openended body having a substantially rectangular cross-section and a plural-ply peripheral hem at an end thereof, the overlapping ends of the blank being joined by a thermoplastic adhesive, and a marginal portion at one end of the body being folded to form an end'wall perpendicular to the side walls of the body and a tab constituted by said hem with opposed halves of the inner peripheral surface of the latter in engagement, and a thermoplastic adhesive joining said engaged surfaces of the tab.

8. A container comprising a tubular body of substantially rectangular cross-section and a liner therefor, said body having an infolded hem about the periphery of one end thereof, theinfolded portion of said hem overlapping the end of said liner, a peripheral band portion of said body and liner adjacentk said hem being infolded to form an end-wall perpendicular to the side walls of said body and opposed halves of the inner surface of said hem being sealed together by a thermoplastic adhesive to form a substantially impervious closure seam.

9. A container comprising a body and a liner therefor, said body being formed from a laminated blank having one or more layers of fibrous material and an exterior layer of metallic foil. a marginal portion at one end of said body being infolded and adhesively secured to said liner, and opposed halves of the inner surface of said infolded marginal portion being sealed together by a thermoplastic adhesive to form a metal-tometal closure seam. 70

10. A container comprising a body and a liner therefor, the marginal portion of said body at one end thereof being infolded and adhesively secured to said liner, a peripheral band portion of said body and liner adjacent said infolded portion being folded to form an end wall perpendicular to the side walls of said body and a pair of triangular tabs projecting beyond opposed sides of said body and opposed halves of the inner surface of said infolded portion being pressed into engagement with each other and adhesively sealed together.

11. A container comprising a. body and a liner therefor, said body being formed from a laminated blank of impervious material, a marginal portion at one end of the body being infolded and adhesively secured to the liner, the opposed halves of the inner surface of said infolded marlaminae, and the infolded ends of the body being 10 joined in impervious seais.

GEORGE ARLINGTON MOORE. 

